


Tales from the Shadows: B-side

by reitsubomi



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28270134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reitsubomi/pseuds/reitsubomi
Summary: Short delusion after 5.3 and 5.4.I translated from my own work...but it is really difficult to do so since my game context is Japanese, while my original writing is in Chinese...so please pardon me for any mistake or confusion.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 14





	1. The Mead

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [伪·漆黑秘话](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27442582) by [reitsubomi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reitsubomi/pseuds/reitsubomi). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something sweet

After the Scions returning from the First, the Rising Stones regained its energy. People were eager to learn about their adventures in that parallel, yet mysterious world, and curious towards the red hair new member---especially he was acting like a “tail” of the Warrior.

G’raha Tia moved four barrels from his Chocobo carriage to the Rising Stones, as many adventurers were staring at him bizarrely.

“Just some mead,” he told the bartender with a broad smile. “I brought them from the Fullflower Comb.”

During his short adventure back to the Source, gourmet and wine became his essential comfort---though some tavern owners had refused to offer him any alcohol, insisting that he was underage. But if he was with the Warrior, she would order one more drink for him (secretly).

“I could be their great-great-great grandpa,” G’raha complained, then sticking his tongue out. “...whoa, so sweet!”

But that sweetness was not annoying. It was gently blending the taste of maple sweet with the alcohol, then warmed him from the inside out. That mead was somehow like a panacea, reviving his taste buds---he had been losing his sense of taste after he became the Crystal Exarch. 

“I thought you said it before,”G’raha mumbled, swallowing the rest of the mead, “you don’t like things that are too sweet.”

“Everything has an exception.” The Warrior of Light replied with a sly smile as she was toasting to him.

The red hair Scion gave a snort of laughter, while he still wanted to figure out the story behind her words. But he didn’t get a chance since some adventurers had recognized the Warrior, and she was therefore immediately surrounded by them. 

G’raha pouted and sighed silently, staring at her through the crowd. A bard was playing a song about “Dragonsong War,” and he did not realize that he was tapping his fingers on the table with the rhythm. He then started to feel dizzy as his cheeks turned red. But that was not so bad. He began to grin and kept that smile on his face while listening to the Warrior sharing her adventure story.

“...what happened to that man later?” Someone asked eagerly.

“...fulfilled his dream.” Her voice went through the noise, floating into his ears with the sound of lute.

“‘Fulfilled his dream’?...So where’s he now?”

G’raha finished his drink, and maybe he was tipsy, seeing her smile at him---but he surely believed that was not his illusion nor fantasy.

The Warrior didn’t answer, putting her finger in front of her lips. G’raha was stunned by her reaction for a while, feeling surrounded by a giant warm glowing bubble. Yet he couldn’t explain the reason why his eyes were also warmed by tears, or maybe that was because he had never thought she would do that.

Maybe the mead was not bad at all. He smiled at this thought, then gave her the same shush gesture.


	2. Archive Node

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something after 5.4
> 
> I just love G'raha being called "your highness."

The Rising Stones was so quiet, without the usual noise from the adventurers---many of them scattered all over Eorzea, investigating those popping up mysterious towers with the Scions.

G’raha Tia stretched his back, rubbing his sore eyes---he was trying to find out any lead from the ancient Allagan books, but things did not go so well as he had predicted. The red hair Miqo’te sighed slightly, grabbing the cup of herb tea from his desk and swallowing the rest of that cold liquid---if Tataru had been here, she would have provided him with some fresh hot drinks and sweets---but no, not those Archon loaf. Tataru and Krile were still searching for Estinien, but in G’raha’s humble opinion, they probably just asked Orn Khai to make another bag of seared surume---like what he had read from some “scandalous events.”

G’raha chuckled at this thought. 

He did want to meet that legendary ex-Azure Dragoon. Though he had pored over tons of stories about him and the Warrior of Light ending the Dragonsong war (he could even recite most chapters), he was still curious, maybe envious towards Estinien.

G’raha leaned back on the chair as his sight fell on the Achieve Node they had brought from Azys Lla. He stared at the dark sphere for a while and let his mind drift away to that floating continent, where he had started his first adventure with the Warrior as an official member of the Scions---it was like a sweet dream that he could have never dreamed of. It was still unrealistic for him, but maybe he did not need to envy Estinien, or other guys (especially Lord Haurchefant), from now on---he probably would own his unique story with the Warrior of Light.

G’raha did not realize he smiled like a Cheshire cat as he just prepared to record this trip into the Achieve Node---well, the main purpose was to save the cure for tempering of course, not just for his slightly selfish wish.

“What can I do for you, your highness?” The spherical Node activated with a burst of mechanical noise.

“Not...not ‘your highness,’”G’raha corrected it embarrassingly. “I’m just a normal adventurer.” 

He then saved the magick into the system, and suddenly found out he might also need a new password to protect it---if “freedom” meant “fighting for freedom,” then this cure would bring hope from the darkness and despair. Just like light.

“New password,” G’raha said without any hesitation. “Light.”

**Author's Note:**

> Speaking of the name of WoL...well I know in Chi/Jap we usually use Hikari/光 directly. But in English I still haven't figured out a proper way to call him/her unless I used some other names lol


End file.
